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SERM. of thorns, (and the cafe is fame of other finIV. ners wandering in the maze of errors) but the way of the righteous is plain. Solomon faith, Eccef. ii. 14. A wife man's eyes are in his head, but a fool walketh in darkness. And again, chap. x. 2. A wife man's heart is at his right-hand, but a fool's is at his left. The vicious diftempered mind is like one without eyes in a rough road full of precipices; irregular paffions mislead the understanding, so that it is at a lofs not knowing what hand to turn to in the greatest urgency of affairs, having forfaken the paths of truth and judgment. But the understanding of the wife difpaffionate man is always a ready guide to him, directing his active powers with promptness and dexterity.

In pursuance of this, the man of knowledge increaseth ftrength against irresolution, unsteadiness, and precipitancy; his behaviour is confiftent and uniform, because it is conducted by one invariable principle. The apoftle reprefenteth it as the happy fruit of that perfection to which, chriftians arrive by the gospel miniftration, that they are no more like children toffed to and fro, and carried about with every wind, Eph. iv. 17. As the paffions of men naturally make them fickle

and

and unstable; true wifdom, which confift- SERM. eth in the mastery of the paffions, must have IV. the contrary effect; and accordingly you will always obferve, that the most difpaffionate men are the most conftant; for confcience and reafon hold the fovereignty in the foul, and their voice is ftill the fame.

Again, as bodily ftrength produceth facility and chearfulness in action, the strong man rejoiceth to run his race, which would be a great oppreffion to the weak; the strong in a religious fenfe, that is, the wife and virtuous, run in the path of righteousness, and do not faint, as the prophet fpeaketh, they walk and are not weary, their good works are performed with vigor and alacrity, and their hearts are enlarged to run in the of God's commandments. This effect of wisdom Solomon obferveth; chap. iv. 12. When thou goeft, thy fieps fhall not be straitened, and when thou runneft, thou shalt not ftumble. As a man walking in a narrow difficult path, or labouring under an incumbrance to which his ftrength is unequal, findeth himself crampt and uneafy, his progrefs is flow and painful, fo the weak and imperfect in a religious fenfe, preffed down by weights, embarrassed and entangled with

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SERM. the fins which easily befet them, do not run
IV. the race which is fet before them, but their

steps are straitened and they often stumble.
From these inconveniences wifdom is the
effectual relief; it establisheth and invigorateth
the powers of the mind, it enableth the
fon indued with it, to attend his proper
work with ease and satisfaction, and to con-
tinue with patience in well-doing.

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And you may observe the text faith, the man of knowledge increaseth strength; though the first entrance of it maketh a great change in the condition and conduct of men, and from that time difcretion begineth to preferve and understanding to keep them, as our author obferveth, chap.ii. 10. 1г. yet it is not perfect at once, but by degrees groweth up to maturity, and every step we advance brings an additional strength with all the comfortable confequences of it, as Job faith, chap. xvii. 9. The righteous fhall bold on his way, and they that have clean hands be stronger and stronger. That which completeth the benefit of this fpiritual strength, is, that the wife man is conscious of it, and enjoyeth it with pleasure; not that he proudly valueth himself upon his strength, or treats others with a fupercilious contempt; fuch a temper is far from

from a wife man, his humility is a great SER M. part of his religion and his strength; but as IV.

in the animal nature a found conftitution and

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vigor is felt by those who poffess it, and it produceth ease and the more comfortable enjoyment of life, whereas declining strength is painful and burthenfome to itself; fo the fenfible fruition of it is infeparable from a healthful state of the mind, that is, eftablished virtue and integrity.

Having given this account of strength and weakness of mind, as they arise from the oppofite causes of wisdom, or the prevalence of irregular affections and paffions, let us apply it to ourselves, and enquire carefully into the state and temper of our minds. Certainly, the enquiry is of great importance if we have it at heart to know whether wisdom hath enter'd into our fouls, as Solomon fpeaketh, and what measure of it we have attained. And though to men unaccustomed to this exercise of communing with their own hearts, as the Pfalmift calleth it, without which there can be no proficiency in virtue, it may appear difficult, the difficulty is far from being infuperable, if we could but engage ourselves to a vigorous attention; the objects of enquiry are not diftant remote things, but fuch as are known by an inward

con

SER M. consciousness; and certainly it is reproachful IV. for a man to be a ftranger to himself and to what paffeth in his own mind.

Let us, then, try what equanimity we maintain in the changes of life; do our fpirits rife and fall with every varying emergent? Do our fears and hopes, our joys and forrows, depend on the fmiles and frowns of this world, fo as in threatning or adverse turns of providence, the understanding is darkened, the counfels are perplexed, courage faileth and refolution becometh unstable? If it be fo, the constitution of the mind is weak, and there is a great defect of wisdom. As I am perfuaded every one who is acquainted with himself will find these symptoms in a degree to be regretted, you may fee what the cause is, and what would be the cure. Have we not juft caufe to bewail the imperfection of our integrity and all the religious virtues? If by a vigorous zeal and conftant diligence in them we were growing up from feeble infancy to the ftature of perfect men, we should find the advantage of it, in a presence and tranquillity of mind established above the reach of time and chance. Security and confidence doth fo naturally fpring from virtue, that whoever hath any

just

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